Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
1,520-acre reservoir near Sutton. USACE Elk River flood-control lake in the heart of the state. The lake tops out around 65 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn outline gives you 29.1 miles of bank to pick apart. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 72% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 5.7 mi with a 2.7-mi widest point. You'll find it in Braxton County. The nearest mapped water is Burnsville Lake, 11 mi to the north.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 7 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (33 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, spotted bass slide up into 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 16 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 25 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Elk River inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Elk River inflow (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 33 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Spring channel catfish concentrate at Elk River inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 5 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Elk River inflow (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Holly River inflow (23 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (33 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) |
Sutton Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Sutton Lake carries 11 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 40 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for West Virginia waters are set by the West Virginia DNR — and special regulations can apply to Sutton Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official West Virginia fishing regulations →
Sutton Lake is about 65 ft (20 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill on Sutton Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Sutton Lake is regulated by the West Virginia DNR. Check the official West Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Burnsville Lake 11 mi · Big Ditch Lake 18 mi · Wallback Lake 26 mi · Stonecoal Lake 27 mi · Summersville Lake 31 mi · Elkwater Fork Lake 31 mi · Charles Fork Lake 39 mi · Dog Run Lake 44 mi · North Bend Lake 45 mi · Hawks Nest Lake 46 mi · Deegan Lake 47 mi · Hinkle Lake 47 mi
See how Sutton Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best smallmouth bass lakes in West Virginia · best walleye lakes in West Virginia · best crappie lakes in West Virginia
Browse all West Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.